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| Antestor | |
|---|---|
| Band Info | |
| Origin | Jessheim, Norway |
| Years-Active | 1990-present |
| Genre(s) | Black metal Death metal Doom metal Unblack metal |
| Label(s) | Cacophonous Records Endtime Productions Bombworks Records |
| Associated Acts | Vaakevandring |
| Homepage | antestor.com |
| Last.fm | Antestor |
Antestor is an extreme metal band formed in 1990 in Jessheim, Norway. Credited for starting the whole northern European Christian extreme metal scene, Antestor is the only Christian band to have an album released by Cacophonous Records, which has also released records by bands such as Dimmu Borgir, Sigh, and Cradle of Filth. The band's only release on Cacophonous, The Return of the Black Death, proved influential for the Christian black metal movement, and has sold over 10,000 copies.
In late 1990s they dubbed their musical style as "sorrow metal" rather than black metal because the black metal movement was publicly affiliated with Satanism in Norway. According to HM Magazine, the progressive elements on the debut album, Martyrium, were possibly ahead of their time in the Norwegian extreme metal scene.
The group has gone through several line-up changes over the years, and currently Antestor consists of the founding guitarist Lars Stokstad (Vemod), vocalist Ronny Hansen (Vrede), bassist Erik Normann Aanonsen, guitarist Thor Georg Buer, drummer Henning Børven and keyboardist Nickolas Main Henriksen. The original vocalist Kjetil Molnes (Martyr) and drummer Svein Sander (Armoth) left the band around 2000, and the members of a fellow Norwegian black metal group, Vaakevandring, joined Antestor. The reputive Norwegian extreme metal drummer Jan Axel Blomberg (Hellhammer) played session drums for their 2005 album The Forsaken and Det Tapte Liv EP.
Members[]
- Current members
- Ronny Hansen - vocals (aka Vrede)
- Lars Stokstad - guitar (aka Vemod)
- Erik Norman Aanonsen - bass
- Jo Henning Børven - drums
- Thor Georg Buer - guitar
- Nickolas Main Henriksen - keyboard
- Former members
- Jan Axel Blomberg (aka Hellhammer) - session drummer on Det Tapte Liv and The Forsaken
- Morten Sigmund Mageroy (aka Sygmoon) - keyboard
- Vegard Undal (aka Gard) - bass (aka Gard)
- Tony Kirkemo - drums
- Kjetil Molnes (aka Martyr) - vocals
- Svein Sander (aka Armoth) - drums
- Erling Jorgensen (aka Pilgrim) - guitar
- Robert Bordevik - guitar
- Stig Rolfsen (aka Erkebisp) - guitar
- Tom W. Holm Paulsen - drums
- Tora - session vocals on Martyrium
- Ann-Mari Edvardsen - session vocals on The Forsaken
- Ravn Furfjord (aka Jokull) (from Frosthardr) - live bass
- Øyvind Hope (Crush Evil only) - bass
Discography[]
- The Defeat of Satan (demo, 1991)
- Despair (demo, 1993)
- Martyrium (1994)
- Kongsblod (promo, 1998)
- The Return of the Black Death (1998)
- The Defeat of Satan (compilation, 2003)
- Det Tapte Liv (EP, 2004)
- The Forsaken (2005)